This invention relates in general to a mass transfer or distillation column reactor and, more particularly, to a structure within the reactor for concurrently contacting a fluid stream with a particulate solid catalyst while distilling the reaction product.
Conventional structures for carrying out catalytic reactions within distillation columns generally comprise containers which are filled with catalyst and are arranged within the column to concurrently serve as a catalytic and distillation structure. The catalytic chemical reaction zones are thus combined with the mass transfer zones in these types of structures, making control of the quantity of fluid entering the mass transfer zones difficult, at best.
Another limitation of known structures which allow concurrent reaction with distillation is the difficulty encountered in replacing the catalyst when it is spent. To renew the catalyst, the internal structure must be removed from the reactor shell, reloaded with catalyst and repositioned in the reactor. At best, this is a time consuming and labor intensive procedure. In some instances, it may only be accomplished by personnel entering the column and physically removing and replacing the internal structures. The catalyst in some types of structures is maintained in cloth belts which are joined with a steel wire support structure. Replacement of the catalyst in these structures requires removal and renewal of both the support structure and the catalyst belt. Significant losses in operating time of the column thus result from renewal of the catalyst, especially when catalysts which have a cycle life as short as several months are utilized. In addition, personnel entering the column to replace the catalyst must exercise extreme caution, especially when hazardous chemicals have been charged to the column.